As the fires roared along the Front Range last summer, leaping over mountains and tearing into neighborhoods, Jerri Marr emerged as the face of the fires in and around Colorado Springs, the scene of the most extensive residential damage.

In person, Marr, 46, projects the same air of no-nonsense competence, coupled with a passion for public service.

In addition to dealing with fires, Marr faces myriad other issues daily on the lands she manages, including fire reclamation work.

MANITOU SPRINGS

We met Marr over coffee, tea and breakfast at Adams Mountain Cafe in Manitou Springs, one of her favorite towns in the state. When friends visit Marr in Pueblo, where her office is located, she often brings them to Manitou Springs for strolling, shopping and eating. The historic village, west of Colorado Springs and pressed against the mountains, was evacuated at the height of the June fires, and Marr spent a fair bit of time there helping the community deal with the tragedies sparking up around them. Her most vivid memories of last summer’s brutal fire season, she said, revolve around how communities like Manitou Springs came together and toiled to save their streets.

Q: You took over your Colorado lands in 2010, after years of working in different capacities for the U.S. Forest Service. Were last summer’s fires your first?

A: I have played a lot of different roles. Firefighter. Working on engines. Working with our different teams, playing different roles from public affairs specialist to someone who helps people who are injured. To being a line officer, a leader within our organization. So my career has been surrounded by working with fire.

Q: How did the Colorado fires stack up?

A: This wasn’t the largest fire I have ever dealt with, but it was the most complex, because of the values at risk. The homes, the utilities, the water systems, the Air Force Academy. No matter which way the fire went, there was a community or a value at risk. If it was just in the forest and it would burn itself out, it wouldn’t be nearly as complex. With this fire, though, there was nothing you were willing to give up, nothing to sacrifice. That makes it extremely complex. You can’t say if it just burns this way we will be OK. No, we just have to put it out.

Q: A lot of us watched these fires on television and freaked out. But you kept your cool. Was that difficult?

A: Fire is always scary. But it’s a healthy fear. I don’t think about fear when I’m working. I think about how can I get the job done. Put our energy into solutions and scenarios that will work, rather than standing around worrying about it. For me, it’s just about staying calm. When you get all emotionally engaged and involved it is hard to be sharp. And for me staying sharp is staying calm. Those two go together.

Q: What are some key fire-safety tips for people who live in fire-prone areas?

A: I would tell them, take a good look at your own yard, your own home. Do I have defensible space around my house? And expand that to my community, my neighbors. What about their homes? What can we do in our neighborhood to make it safer? If you don’t know, call the Forest Service, call your state forester. We are happy to share information about things you can do that make a difference.

Q: What is defensible space?

A: If you have a house and you have trees all around, and they are right on your home, their branches might even connect to your roof, there is no place for a fire engine to get in and get close enough to defend your property. It’s just giving yourself some space.

Q: You have lived all over the country, and spent time in some of the nation’s most wild places. Do you have a favorite?

A: They all are my favorite places. I see myself as a guardian of our national inheritance. That is a high calling. Your goal is that piece of land is there for your kids’ kids’ kids’ kids. The choices you make every day are about the long term, and not just here right now. I really enjoy that. It helps me in how I live my life — you can’t get narrowly focused, you have to always be thinking big picture.

Q: Was there anything about the fires that surprised you?

A: The fire itself didn’t surprise me. We were in severe drought conditions. We have only gotten 19 percent of our precipitation in the last two years — 19 percent a year. The surprise for me, the pleasant surprise, was the way the communities just all came together and all of the agencies, all of the leaders, there were just no egos. We were focused on one thing — making a difference in our community.

Q: What historical figure do you most identify with?

A: I always identify with the underdog. Because that was my life, people who didn’t believe in me. If there is an underdog out there, you will find me rooting for him.

Q: What living person do you most admire?

A: I have the most respect for my parents. The sacrifices they made so I can have the life I have today. That resonates with me, and I want to live my life like that.

Q:Who is your favorite fictional character?

A:Mabel Simmons, who is called Madea. It’s a character played by Tyler Perry. Madea is the matriarch of the family. She is no-nonsense. Let’s just tell the truth; don’t be afraid of who you are. She makes me smile, to be fearless in my life.

Q: Who are your real-life heroes?

A: The men and women who dedicate their lives to public service, in the military, firefighters, policemen, foresters. People who spend their lives on behalf of serving others, those are my heroes. The sacrifices they make, that is huge. People who say, I’m not in it for the money, I’m not in it for the fame. I’m in it for the service. It’s a privilege to be a public servant; it’s not a last resort. When you are thinking about the first job, think about public service. There is such honor that comes from that.

Q: What is your most treasured possession?

A: My Nikon D800. I love photography. If I’m on vacation I have my camera, if I am working I have my camera. There is so much beauty in my world, with what I do. I minored in photojournalism in college and I have loved photography since I was a kid. Now I have a job so I can afford better cameras.

Q: When were you happiest?

A: I think if I wake up breathing this morning , I’m happy. Happiness is a choice. People will let you down, things will disappoint you. It’s about being happy today, in this situation. I choose every day to find the good in others, the good in myself. How can you not be happy if you think about all of the things you have in your life?

Q: If you could come back to life as an object, what would it be?

A: I’d come back as a camera. They get to capture life. You experience the good, the bad and the ugly. Cameras have seen so much. That makes cameras pretty special. They capture the moment.